Tempe 9-year-old wins six Taekwondo championships

No schoolyard bully better make the mistake of trying to take this kid’s lunch money. Christian Erhardt of Tempe has earned six Arizona Taekwondo state championships out of seven events. Now a Black belt, he plans to continue on to compete for a world championship title at the Black Belt level at the World Championshps in Little Rock, Ark. Extremely impressive, and even more so given his age—just 9 years old.

Erhardt first began to practice Taekwondo when he was 6, and has excelled in the three years since. It has taken no small amount of dedication or hard work, but the young athlete has embraced the challenge.

“Christian began this quest with a goal of becoming state champ,” Christian’s father, Troy Erhardt, said. “He has trained six days a week and missed out on a lot of ‘kid stuff’ like birthday parties and sleepovers. He’s always chosen to make the sacrifice to say on track with his goal. He has stayed focused and never wanted to quit or give up.”

Out of the seven events, Erhardt took first in six: Traditional Forms, Traditional Weapons, XMA (extreme) Forms, XMA Weapons, Creative Forms and Creative Weapons. In the seventh, sparring, he made it to the finals but took second place.

Christian trains at Black Belt Academy and Karate for Kids, located in Goodyear, under chief instructor Sr. Master Mark Lee. “Consistency in his training and the support of his parents and instructors has really helped Christian achieve success,” Lee said. “He is very dedicated to the martial arts and it shows in his enthusiasm and passion.” — Robert T. Balint

Erhardt, just 9 years old, recently earned his Black Belt in Taekwondo, along with six state championships. Photo by Tammy Vogt Photography.

Grant Hill announced as spokesman for the arts

Grant Hill has an eye on the future. “In my world, competition is fierce on and off the court,” the Phoenix Suns forward says in a new public service announcement. “It’s more important than ever to prepare the next generation to face challenges head on.”

Hill believes exposure to the arts is significant to that preparation. That’s why he signed on to be campaign spokesperson for The Choice is Art, a four-year statewide campaign by the Arizona Commission on the Arts to promote access to arts education.

In his first PSA for the program, Hill describes the positive effects that the arts bring: “The arts teach skills like discipline, dedication and teamwork. And for kids struggling with academic, social or family challenges, the arts can change lives.”

Hill is no stranger to the arts; he and his wife, Grammy-nominated singer Tamia Hill have been longtime patrons. In fact, their 46-pierce collection of African-American art went on tour as the Something All Our Own: The Grant Hill Collection of African American Art exhibition from 2003-2006. The collection featured several major works from acclaimed artists Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Hughie Lee Smith and John Biggers.

“From a young age, my father instilled in me a respect for well-crafted and historically significant artifacts and works of art,” Hill writes in a letter of support for the campaign. “He took me to museums and taught me to appreciate the energetic vision of artists, especially African-American artists. This family tradition of collecting is another reason I continue to acquire impactful works of art. Now, as a father myself, I recognize the value of passing this appreciation on to my two children. They have a natural affinity for creative works, and it is inspiring to see them make their own artistic discoveries.”

A veteran of the NBA, Hill graduated from Duke University in 1994 and became one of the best all-around players in the league at that time, sharing Rookie of the Year Award honors with Jason Kidd. After being plagued with injuries throughout the prime of his career, Hill came to Phoenix in 2007 and joined Steve Nash as a team captain. He won his first career playoff series victory in 2010, when the Suns swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals, and averaged 13.2 points per game in the 2010-11 season. — Robert T. Balint

Listen to RAK’s 2008 interview with Grant Hill.

Read about Hill’s experiences juggling minutes on the court and quality time with his two little girls, Myla and Lael.

Hill also promotes healthy, active lifestyles for kids. In January, we wrote about his involvement with the Kids Sports Stars healthy lifestyle challenge.

Grant Hill’s thoughts on fatherhood, from a Father’s Day interview in 2008.

AZ Girls Lacrosse announces summer ball

Your daughter can keep her stick skills sharp over the coming off-season, as AZ Girls Lacrosse, or AZGL, is announcing a new summer league.

Summer Ball begins on July 7 and runs through August 4, with leagues for under-15, under-16 (rising seniors) and 2011 high schools grads/post-collegiate players. The format of the league is similar to AZGL’s Fall Ball — teams will play a game a week with no practices. Game times are at night to beat the heat, and play will be at the brand new Salt River Fields facilities at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Here’s some more information from the website:

• Cost: $85 (includes jersey)

• Where: Salt River Fields

• When: Every Thursday July 7- Aug. 4

• How to register: There are two registrations depending on your child’s age. If your daughter is in fifth through 12th grades or just graduated high school, you register here. If your daughter graduated high school in 2010, is in college currently, or post-collegiate, she will register here. There are only a limited number of spots available so it will be first come, first serve.

Game Times

U15 and Younger 7:30-9pm

U16 – Rising Seniors 8:30-10pm

High school grads-post-collegiate 8:30-10pm

Sign up before June 30th to reserve a spot and grab the best deal. — Robert T. Balint

Former Arizona Cardinal saves child from drowning

When he heard Anne Moore’s screams for help, Leonard Pope didn’t hesitate. Moore’s 6-year-old son, Bryson, fell into the deep end of a swimming pool during a cousin’s birthday party in Americus, Georgia. last weekend. Pope, a backup tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, leapt into action. He ran outside from inside the house and jumped, fully clothed, into the pool.

Now playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, Pope was with the Cardinals from 2006-2008, including their run at a championship in Super Bowl XLIII.

“I couldn’t see Bryson anymore,” Pope said. “All I saw was his fingertips at the top of the water,” he said in an interview with ESPN’s Reischea Canidate.

“My hands reached to his waist, and I kind of brought him up to his mom. He stood up and was delirious for a little while.” After some pats on the back and some coughs, the child recovered. As Pope put it, “He came back to Bryson that day.”

The rescue came when Pope, along with other NFL players, would usually be at a minicamp in preparation for next season. However, due to the current lockout, Pope was at a party with his family at the house and was able to hop in and scoop Bryson up. His presence was a godsend for Bryson’s mother, as she told the Americus Times Recorder that Pope might have been the only person at the party who knew how to swim.

“My heart dropped. It could’ve been any child, not just Bryson. I wasn’t waiting on anyone else… to try to pull him out,” Pope said. Nicknamed “Champ,” the Georgia native certainly earned it in the Moores’ eyes.

Pope spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, making 23 catches for 238 yards and five touchdowns in his best year in the Valley in 2007.

This incredible rescue makes it clear just how important pool safety and swimming lessons are, especially during the hot months of summer. Check out a list of Valley aquatics programs, and read these tips for pool safety. Be prepared — despite the lockout, NFL athletes won’t be available at every poolside gathering. — Robert T. Balint

Sports around the Valley: weekend update

Mercury opening weekend

The Phoenix Mercury look to start the first home stand of the 2011 season off right against the visiting San Antonio Silver Stars in the home opener tonight at US Airways Center. The first 6,000 fans will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the WNBA’s 15th season of existence. Then, on Sunday, the Mercury will host the Indiana Fever at 3pm.

The Mercury are two-time national champions, winning titles in 2007 and 2009. Forward Penny Taylor has already made a splash, averaging 15.5 points per game through two games. A native Australian, Taylor was a member of the national squad who took gold at the 2006 Sydney Olympics.

Star point guard Diana Taurasi was held to just nine points by Seattle in a 71-78 loss on June 4, but returned to her characteristic self June 10 in a 84-98 loss to to the Los Angeles on June 10, scoring a game high 31 points.

“I’m excited about it,” head coach Corey Gaines said in a phone interview about returning to familiar territory. As a team, Gaines feels, “We’re jelling.” Tipoff tonight is at 7 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at the arena or wnba.com.

Contact/Tackle Football Camps at Phoenix Christian High School

This weekend, Phoenix Christian High School will host a football camp that will teach the basic technique of football tackling to Valley athletes from grades 3-9.

The offseason is the best time to improve, and Phoenix Christian High head coach Brandon Harris and Phoenix Christian Junior High head coach Coach Mo Streety will instruct on blocking, tackling and other necessary skills on the gridiron. This weekend’s camp is the first of three that Phoenix Christian High will host this summer.  Coach Harris is entering his first year as head coach; Coach Mo has brought success to NFL players and Valley high school athletes alike.

Participants should wear comfortable athletic shorts and a T-shirt, and bring both running shoes and cleats. The cost for the two-day camp (6pm July 18-19) is $25 per athlete. Sessions will also run on the 20th and the 27th-29th as well as July 11th-13th & 25th-27th, all at 7pm. Camps will also be held during the first two weeks of August, times TBA. For details, contact Brandon Harris at 602-265-4707 or by email at bfharris@phoenixchristian.org. Phoenix Christian High School is located at 1751 W. Indian School Road in Phoenix. Download the release waiver here.

Diamondbacks host Sox for three-game series

The Chicago White Sox are coming to town this weekend for a three-game series. The Diamondbacks will look to make up lost ground after losing a three-game stand against San Francisco, and every game will count as the two teams are battling for first place in the NL West.

Friday:
First pitch @ 6:40pm
Projected starters:
ARZ: Daniel Hudson (7-5, 3.82 ERA), RHP
SFO: Edwin Jackson (4-5, 4.39 ERA), RHP

Saturday:
First pitch @ 5:15pm
Projected starters:
ARZ: Zach Duke (1-1, 4.56 ERA), LHP
SFO: John Danks (2-8), 4.54 ERA), LHP

Sunday
First pitch @ 1:10pm
Projected starters:
ARZ: Josh Collmenter (4-2, 1.86 ERA), RHP
SFO: Philip Humber (6-3, 2.95 ERA), RHP

— Robert T. Balint

FutureForKIDS hosts sports and fitness camp for at-risk kids

Kids take a warm-up lap before beginning a day of sports and fitness activities at ASU football's practice field.This past Saturday morning, armed with bright new t-shirts, dozens of aspiring athletes went through a series of stretches to get ready for a day of activity at Arizona State’s practice football fields.

Story and photos by Robert T. Balint

This past Saturday morning, dozens of aspiring athletes went through a series of stretches to get ready for a day of activity at Arizona State’s practice football fields. These were not Sun Devils, however, but participants of the Future for KIDS Youth Sports & Fitness Camp.

FutureForKIDS was started by its founder and president, Rodney Smith, in 1991. Smith had benefited from a mentor in his childhood, and wanted to extend those same benefits to kids as an adult. The non-profit aims to make differences in the lives of at-risk children, ages 8-14, of the Phoenix metro area. Through athletic camps, and, since 2002, academic mentorships, the volunteers of FutureForKIDS have reached over 129,000 children. At-risk kids’ chances of success are threatened by circumstances such as underfunded schools, youth crime, etc.

The program staff had arranged a series of stations all around the field: baseball tees, cones for soccer drills, and plenty of space for football passing, catching, and running drills. Before the kids were divided up into groups for the stations, however, two visitors stopped by to say hello: Dennis Erickson, head coach of the ASU football team, and the Phoenix Suns Gorilla. Erickson was slightly more verbose than the simian visitor, and talked to the kids about accountability and the importance of success in the classroom.

“The more you study, the more successful you are in school, the more successful you’re going to be at everything that you do in your life,” the head coach said. “I got 85 football players on my football team at Arizona State, and we ask them to do a lot of different things. We ask them to be accountable in all aspects of their life.

“Winning is one thing, [but] being successful in life and in school is the most important thing.”

ASU head football coach Dennis Erickson imparted words on accountability and success to the campers.

After Erickson’s remarks, and a good bit of clowning from the Gorilla, the kids hit the stations. A host of retired professional players, coaches and volunteers ran each location, teaching basic skills such as a quarterback’s drop-step, kicking and dribbling a soccer ball, and the proper mechanics of a baseball swing. One station featured relay races that included pushups, agility drills, and sprints in the challenges.

Always a fan favorite, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla meets and greets kids from around the Valley.

For Diego Valdez, 8, from Phoenix, the football and soccer stations were his favorite. He hopes to play football in high school, preferably at the receiver position, while a fellow group mate, Kyle Harris, 7, from Alabama, prefers playing quarterback. For Elena Geiger and Melissa Moldinari, two 11-year-olds from Phoenix, the soccer drills of dribbling around the cones and practicing footwork were highlights of the day. “It’s fun, and it’s like dancing,” Geiger said.

Derek Kennard, a retired offensive lineman who spent 10 years in the NFL, was in charge of running one of the running back and wide receiver stations. A bear of a man, Kennard helped the kids learn a football stance and how to take a handoff, and tossed up passes for the receivers. He gave extra attention to both the children who were having trouble, and the athletes of the group who were pulling down one-handed highlight-reel catches.

Derek Kennard celebrates another completed pass at his running back/wide receiver. Kennard played in the NFL from 1986-1996.

For Kennard, “Teaching something new for the kids, and seeing the excitement in their faces when they get it—the ‘Aha!’ moment” is the best part of the day, the coach said with a wide grin in between stations.

“To see how much confidence that gives the kids, and to cheer them on, that’s the thing. Seeing the happiness in their faces.” That’s what it’s all about.

Arizona Cardinals Isaiah Williams, left, and John Skelton, right, spent time with the campers, signing autographs and taking pictures. Skelton, a quarterback, threw some spirals to some of the hotshot campers.

Jump, bounce and skate in Chandler

By Robert T. Balint

With its June 4^th grand opening behind it, the Xtreme Air Jump ‘N Skate Park is now open for business. The 30,000-square-foot complex, located just off the 202 at McQueen and Pecos Roads in south Chandler, is home to wall-to-wall trampolines and a skate park—not, fortunately, mixed together.

The main trampoline area is 100 feet long, with slanted trampolines on the walls. At the back is the park’s unique Velcro wall, a huge sheet of the material that jumpers, after donning one of the stylish Velcro suits, can stick to by jumping into it.

Separate from the main area, there is a smaller trampoline basketball court and a separate dodgeball court, where games are scheduled. Park staff, known as the “flight crew,” and a host of closed-circuit cameras that feed to screens around the park keep watch, so that parents can look after their kids without having to hop on the trampoline themselves. For the younger children, there is a separate 7-and-under area with a couple of inflatable structures for tamer jumping.

For kids who prefer resisting gravity with a set of wheels beneath their feet, there is Xtreme’s large indoor skate park, ideal for beginning and novice skaters. Designed and built by California Rampworks, the company that builds tracks for the X Games, the park features boxes, quarter-pipes, a half-pipe and several moveable rails and plenty of edges for grinding.

The most exciting feature is the foam pit that skaters can fly into via a ramp, handy for practicing and polishing tricks. Helmets must be worn by all riders, and every skater younger than 18 has to wear pads. It’s often a mix of skateboards and Razor scooters, but BMX bike riders have a chance at the park as well, from 7 to 9pm on Wednesdays and 7pm to midnight on Saturdays.

Tyler Cameron, 12, of Phoenix hops a quarter-pipe at Xtreme Air.

Besides the two parks, Xtreme has several other attractions on sweet, blessed solid ground, including a small arcade, a store stocked with skateboards, T-shirts, and protective gear, and a snack bar with both traditional kids’ fare and coffee drinks for the weary watchers of bouncing children. What Xtreme does well, and promotes, is catering to parents with coffee, sitting areas, monitor screens and free wi-fi.

Kids refuel themselves for another round at the snack bar, which also features wi-fi and coffee drinks.

A boutique next door, Xtreme Escape, which the park’s website says will offer clothes, designer jeans and accessories, is coming soon.

The most crowded times are in the early afternoon and evenings, around 1pm and 5 to 7pm. Younger children make up most of the jumpers and skaters earlier in the day, and older kids come later in the evening. Check out xtremeairjumpandskate.com for hours, pricing, and beginner/novice skateboard class times.

PHOTOS: Daniel Friedman

Five questions for All-American Pierce Bassett

Bassett in 2008, warming up before the state championship game against Chaparral High School.

By Robert T. Balint

Two weeks ago,  Pierce Bassett became the first Arizona-raised lacrosse player to be named to a Division I All American team.  Bassett, a 2009 graduate of Brophy College Prep and the current goalie for Johns Hopkins University, was named as the Second Team All American goalie by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.

Bassett started all four years in goal for the Brophy Broncos. From 2006 through 2009,  Brophy made four straight state title appearances, winning it all in Bassett’s sophomore (2007) and junior (2008) years. A four-time All State selection, Bassett made the first team three times, and posted a sky-high .714 save percentage his senior year.

After graduation, Bassett headed to Baltimore to attend Johns Hopkins University, a traditional national lacrosse powerhouse. In his first year, he became the fifth freshman to start in goal for the Blue Jays since freshmen were made eligible to play in 1972. As Hopkins plays against the elites of the sports— Virginia, Duke, Maryland, etc.—he endured a trial by fire against the nation’s top scorers.

Bassett today.

This past season, Bassett became one of the team leaders and helped the Jays to a 13-3 record and a #3 national ranking. In the NCAA tournament, Hopkins recorded a 12-5 win over Hofstra before being knocked out in the quarterfinals 14-9 by Denver. His 146 saves and .570 save percentage earned him a spot on the All American team. An old friend of mine, Pierce spoke to me over the phone earlier this week about his beginnings in lacrosse, the season and where things go from here.

You started playing lacrosse in sixth grade. When did you know you had found your calling?

I first started playing for St. Theresa Broncos in sixth grade I started playing goalie, and I liked it. I remember they needed a backup goalie, and I played soccer goalie and a catcher, so I thought, “Hey, I’ll give it a shot.” One of the big things I liked when I started playing was frustrating the shooters and the offense. That’s what clicked with me. It was enjoyable.

I was horrible my first year of goalie. I think we won one game. The coaches in middle school took a lot of shots on me and worked with me. Getting into freshman year, I wanted to play varsity, and I had an opportunity to try out and make the team.

You split 2-2 with Chaparral for state championships. What was that rivalry like?

I think the Chaparral-Brophy lacrosse rivalry is one of the best, at least in Arizona lacrosse. In the regular season (in 2006), we got smoked 11-2, and then lost in the finals 5-3. In my first years, nobody beat Chaparral—they were good, they deserved it. Every time you play them, it was a battle. There was a lot of emotion. It was one of the bigger games in the league. I know a lot of those guys, so it was a fun rivalry going.

Sophomore year (2007), it was our first-ever championship. It was one of the best feelings of my life, to win the first championship for the program. I couldn’t have been happier, for the seniors and for the team in general.

And then in 2008, we pulled out a nail biter against Chaparral, at Chaparral. We didn’t play as well as we wanted, but we still got that win.

Tell me about playing in the NCAA tournament, and the pressure that comes along with it.

It’s the NCAA tournament. You dream of playing in it when you’re a kid. This year, in that first game against Hofstra, I thought, “It doesn’t matter if it’s the NCAA tournament; it’s just another home game.” Just play your game, and don’t worry about where it is or what’s on the line. It was a great experience; hopefully we can improve on it. I think everyone’s really excited to get back to school.

How does it feel to be an All-American?

We had the All-American banquet the Sunday before Memorial Day. An absolutely terrific honor to be included with some really great goalies this year. I’m humbled to see an award like that. It’s not just you out there; you have a defense. I’ve been blessed to have a terrific defensive end that doesn’t get much credit as I think they should.

What are you going to focus on during this off-season?

One of the big things is being a leader. Being a junior, you come into a leadership role. I have to work on that. Other than that, I’m looking to improve my athleticism, my endurance, and take a look back at some of the games and the mistakes I made. Take as many shots as I can back home, get myself prepared.

We’ll have 12 juniors this year, and we had seven or eight of us playing. Another good senior class. I think we’ve got some great guys who can do great things.

Robert Balint (left) and Pierce Bassett at their 2009 graduation from Brophy College Prep.

Homegrown talent, hometown edge: ASU Softball’s local lineup

Left to right): Breanna Kaye (Mountain Ridge H.S.), Dallas Escobedo (St. Mary’s H.S.), Talor Haro (Highland H.S.), Mackenzie Popescue (Chaparral H.S.), Sam Parlich (Basha H.S.), Katelyn Boyd (Horizon H.S.), Annie Lockwood (Paradise Valley H.S.)

By Robert T. Balint

When the Arizona State softball team opens the Women’s College World Series this Thursday at 4 p.m. against the University of Oklahoma, it will have something that none of the seven other teams in the tournament have — 14 of its 25 players are from 12 local high schools.

“Most of us are from Arizona, we’ve all been playing with and against each other for years,” said Mackenzie Popescue, one of the Sun Devil’s resident aces on the mound. A Chaparral grad who captained the Firebirds as a senior for the 2009 season, Popescue has a 13-3 record with a 2.22 earned run average. She got offers from big names like Texas, Alabama and UCLA, but she decided to stay close to home. “I’m a mama’s girl,” she said. “I always wanted to stay in state.”

Dallas Escobedo, a freshman phenom with a 32-3 season record, lives a half-hour away from campus and wouldn’t have it any other way. “I didn’t want to leave home, the hurler said. What’s more, “My family and friends come and watch whenever they want.” The two pitchers know each other well, having dueled many times, with almost every game going into extra innings.

Katelyn Boyd, a junior from Phoenix Horizon High and a top three finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, lives at home and has connections with more than a few of her teammates from before Arizona State. “Talor [Haro]’s been my best friend since I was 14, and I’ve known Annie [Lockwood] growing up in high school, and I played with and against Dallas,” Boyd said.

Last Thursday, Boyd, Escobedo and Popescue took some time off from preparing for their Super Regional games against Texas A&M, which they later won 3-2 and 4-2, to sit down to talk about their transition from their high school teams to playing for Arizona State, and give some advice on those who would follow in their footsteps.

Tips for Ballplayers

• College programs offer sports camps for high school athletes, which are a great way to get recognized. “I went to a bunch of Arizona State camps,” Popescue said. “I got to meet the coaches and the girls, and I fell in love with them.” As college coaches are not allowed to approach high school athletes unless the athletes visit the college campus, camps provide an opportunity to get a feel for the program. “You get to sit down and talk to the coaches,” Popescue said, “and get to know them, how they coach and how they deal with their players.”

• Rise to the challenge. Boyd attended Horizon High School, but also played club ball, which is where she got noticed.  “How we worked on our club team—conditioning was hard—the goal was to get us set for college,” Boyd said. The increased intensity that her club team brought made the transition from high school to college ball easier. Also, Boyd suggests that girls play at the highest level that their skills can allow, no matter the age group. I feel like if girls can play up—if you’re good enough at 14 to play at 18 level, do it,” the shortstop says. “You can only get better by beating better players, tougher competition.”

• Hit the books.  Escobedo attended St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix, and that helped prepare her for college life. “St. Mary’s has strong academics—our classes were tough,” Escobedo said. The life of a college athlete is a harried one—classes, practice, homework, team meetings, etc. take up large chunks of time. Rising softball players have to know how to keep everything in balance. “It was private school so that prepared me, and made me more responsible,” Escobedo said. “That made me grow up quicker.”

Advice to Parents

• Push your daughter, but not too much. “There were times I wanted to give up, and take it easy,” Popescue said about her days playing ball before ASU. “To get to this level, you can’t.” The desire has to come from the athlete. “You can’t make your daughter work hard,” Boyd said, “It has to just come around.” Says Popescue: “It comes down to hard work and pushing your kid. I mean, not to the point that they’re going to hate softball, but to the point that you’re working hard.”

• Be engaged. “My dad always made sure that I got enough rest and sleep, and that I ate right,” Escobedo said. Richard Escobedo would go over with his daughter her performances on the mound and at the plate, and prescribed advice and extra pitching in the backyard. “He pushed me so much that I hated it, but I’m thankful because I wouldn’t be here [without it],” Escobedo said. Her mom, Jodi Gosch, played the “good cop,” talking Dallas through bad practices and games, always ready with a shoulder on which to cry. “She would be on my side, she’s happy for me all the time,” Escobedo said.

• Find the right program. Boyd described her “checklist,” a list of what she was looking for in a college team. For her, ASU fit the bill—close to home, nice weather, etc. Aspiring players should make checklists of their own, so that they know what they’re looking for in a team. Find “the right coach, the right program,” Boyd said, and that fit depends on the individual.

Postscript — On June 2, Katelyn Boyd and Dallas Escobedo, along with their ASU teammate Kaylyn Castillo, were named first team All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.  Another local girl named to the first team All-American team was Ashley Hansen, a junior shortstop at Stanford University.  Hansen is a graduate of Corona del Sol High School in Tempe.

Postscript II – On June 7, ASU won the Women’s College World Series by defeating the University of Florida 7-2.  Dallas Ecobedo was named the Most Outstanding Player of the World Series along with Florida’s Michelle Moultrie.

AmenZone: back-to-basics fitness

Amen Iseghohi and some of young fans of his fitness program. Photo courtesy of AmenZone Physical Education Foundation.

No treadmills, no free weights, no machines. Instead, strewn about the AmenZone fitness center in Scottsdale is an assortment of… tires. Just tires, the kind you’d find on a car or truck. That’s the first hint that this isn’t your average fitness program. It makes sense—Amen Iseghohi isn’t your average fitness trainer. Or average anything, for that matter.

Raised in London, England, Amen was 8 years old when his family sent him to Benin, a small country in West Africa, to stay with his grandmother. It was here that he learned his unique philosophy on physical fitness. His grandmother told him to “Be active, always moving and to keep his mind and body working together as one.” To keep the boys busy, Amen’s grandmother had them stay active with the resources at hand—in this case, a number of rubber tires in the front yard. It wasn’t state-of-the-art equipment that gave Amen his tree-trunk frame; it was his inspiration to be more and accomplish more, with less.

“Enough with machinery,” Amen says. “Just keep it plain and simple. And you’d be amazed.”

At his center in Scottsdale, the former professional rugby player has implemented this minimalist style and used it to create entire workouts using nothing but a few feet of space, some pull-up bars, monkey bars, punching bags, and, of course, tires. The center runs Primal Classes and Boxing Classes for adults weekly, and a Friday afternoon class for kids 7 and up. In each workout, the lessons learned from hot days in Benin are clear: if the athlete has the right mindset, there is not much need for dumbbells and machines.

Accomplishing more with less was the main message of the AmenZone Physical Education Foundation Open House event this past Saturday. At the Scottsdale center, Amen and some of his young protégés engaged in a demonstration of a typical workout. With music blaring, and with each participant armed with his or her own tire, Amen guided the kids through the exercise with enthusiastic shouts. The kids darted around the tires, falling and doing a pushup on them; moved in and out of the middle of the tires laterally; and finished off the workout with a set of static high jumps. Amen moved through, giving praise with smiles and high-fives. The positive energy was high, which is one of the cornerstones of AmenZone’s foundation.

The kids’ workout was a demonstration of what Amen wants to implement all across the Valley. His non-profit, AmenZone PE, is set on giving grade school students a way to stay active and stay fit. The William J. Clinton Foundation reports that 92 percent of schools do not have year-round physical education classes. AmenZone PE, its website says, “is passionate about eliminating the devastating effects of low self-esteem in children by providing children with the inspiration, tools and knowledge necessary for making healthy lifestyle choices.”

To combat the health issues and emotional problems that come along with childhood obesity, Amen aims to empower kids by getting them active and improving self-esteem through his program. Where lack of self-esteem can lead to low confidence, poor grades, crime, and even suicide, high-self esteem enables individuals to reach their full potential, the program asserts. Through the holistic program, kids are taught about fitness, healthy lifestyle choices, and positive thinking and self-image.

AmenZone PE has partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and the Native American Basketball Invitational. So far, 86 Arizona schools have expressed interest in incorporating Amen’s Primal Education into after-school programming.

“I know that I can accomplish anything,” said Andrew Haight, 12, from Scottsdale, an avid student of Amen’s. The classes “made him more secure and more confident.” Letters from students at Tonalea Elementary School lined the walls of the center, thanking Amen for the fitness and confidence that the workouts bring. From the program, kids gain both physical and mental strength. As Amen says, “The physical and spiritual are connected. There has to be a balance.”

For more information, class times, etc., check out Amen’s website, letsgetprimal.com. — Robert T. Balint